


Unmarked

by knoxoursavior



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-04
Updated: 2015-08-04
Packaged: 2018-04-12 22:58:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4497930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knoxoursavior/pseuds/knoxoursavior
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He has put on so many colors and so many patterns, and yet there is one thing he hesitates to try—soul marks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unmarked

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much to [nonbinarynerdvengers](http://nonbinarynerdvengers.tumblr.com/) on tumblr for the beta work!!

The Vision's body is synthetic — made free of flaws and of beauty marks. He is the canvas and yet, because of the mind gem, he is also the artist.

He can make his skin pale to spend a day in casual jeans and a button down shirt, buying some ice cream in the park and ordering coffee and a slice of cake without anyone recognizing him. He can mimic Mystique's bright blue skin, can make his hair grow in five seconds flat and make it look exactly like Pepper's. The night after he hears stories about frost giants from Thor, he stares at himself in the mirror and watches his skin gradually turn blue from the top of his head to the tips of his toes.

He doesn't look so bad, he thinks, but then he didn't grow up with prejudices being forced onto him, so perhaps it's a moot point.

He has put on so many colors and so many patterns, and yet there is one thing he hesitates to try—soul marks. Words on the wrist; so simple yet so complex at the same time.

The Vision was not created with a soulmark. At that point, all Ultron was interested in was eliminating the Avengers and destroying the world. He only needed a perfect body, not a tie to the species that taints this supposedly rich world.

And so, now, the Vision is left envying everyone around him.

Tony and Pepper are dancing during one of the Stark galas, fingers intertwined in the air so that their wrists are pressed together. The Vision cannot see their marks but he remembers a soft and curvy _Virginia_ while Tony analyzes his brainwaves. He remembers a sharp, angled _Anthony_ when Pepper visits his room the first time he stays over at Stark Tower and brings his some chocolate to make him feel welcome.

The Vision sees a wobbly, distorted _Clint_ on Natasha's right wrist while she is shooting a gun at the firing range. It's effortless, and she probably knows more about killing than at least 90% of all SHIELD employees but annual evaluations are a requirement now. She holds a gun like its an extension of her arm and she paints an image so mesmerizing that the Vision almost doesn't notice the other mark on her left wrist—long, solid strokes spelling _Laura._

Rhodey's wrists are full of names, written in the smallest possible legible letters to accommodate the number of people on there. Rhodey's soulmates are not quite friends and not quite lovers, always amazing yet never definite. Soldiers, all of them, and he meets them on the battlefield and sees most fall by the end of the day. One would think that he'd have gotten used to the loss by now, but the Vision cannot fathom how it does anything besides get more and more painful.

The Captain hides his soulmark under a navy blue bandana at all times of the day. The Vision never asks, even though he thinks that both Natasha and Sam know whose name it is on Steve's wrists.

Sam's soulmark is all stencil-type writing and block letters. _Riley_ , it says, and everyone knows what happened to Riley, knows that Sam came back to his house in DC missing more than just his sanity, and yet he shows off his soulmark proudly. He has accepted Riley's death, and he has accepted that he has to find his way around the world without his soulmate again.

Wanda has cuts across her mark. She swears they aren't there on purpose, that she sleeps and she dreams and she sees her brother dying again and again. No one fully believes her at first, but Natasha spends nights without sleep, just in case. Just to make sure Wanda doesn't have to suffer through her nightmares alone. When the rest of the team finds out about it, they help out and the team starts to take shifts.

Of course, it doesn't take long for Wanda to realize what they're doing. She gets up one night, drenched in sweat and with a troubled look in her eyes. She goes to the kitchen for a drink and finds Sam teaching the Vision how to play poker, and, well. They're not exactly the best of liars.

“We don't want to leave you alone when we could be helping,” Steve tells Wanda that morning. He tries his best not to sound pushy, tries his best not to make her feel pressured. “We can back off if you want us to.”

“We're not gonna like it though,” Natasha clarifies immediately, and that has the others nodding along.

“And we all know how it feels to lose someone,” Sam adds. “Excluding Vizh, I guess, and of course we weren't in the exact same situation, but we can relate on some level.”

“We lost and we moved on,” Rhodey says. “We know that it can be painful, and we want to help you get through that.”

There's a long silence before Wanda replies where she just stares at everyone, her eyes wide with disbelief, until she gets so overwhelmed by their and their support that she has to revert her eyes to the ground as she wrings her hands nervously and thinks about her answer.

“Alright,” she says finally, moments after. “Alright. But no one is going to be forced to stay awake again unless we are _all_ doing it.”

At this point, the Vision hasn't spoken yet. He doesn't feel like it's his place, considering that he doesn't even have a soulmate, but this conversation isn't just about soulmates. It's also about the team being worried about Wanda.

“Well, Sam and I _do_ need more people to play poker with,” he says.

“No.” Steve groans. “You just invited Nat to a game of poker. You're going to regret that so much.”

“Well, he's not wrong,” Natasha says, shrugging.

“Never one to back down from a challenge,” Rhodey says, his tone reminiscent of Tony Stark. “I've been playing poker since I was nine years old.”

“Yeah? Let's see you beat me, then,” Natasha says, her lips turned up in an amused smirk. “Loser has to ask Maria Hill out.”

“Hey, that's not fair,” Rhodey says. “You're actually friends with her. Or something.”

“Or something,” Natasha agrees. “Okay then, let's make things easier for you. Loser doesn't get to eat Agent Perez' cookies for a week.”

“What? Too much, Romanoff.” Rhodey looks like he got caught in headlights, eyes wide and his expression a touch betrayed. After all, Agent Perez' cookies are the best. The Avengers love his cookies so much that their supply had to be limited because they always ate everything and left nothing for the other agents. Sometimes even Agent Perez couldn't have a taste of his own cookies.

Natasha raises an eyebrow. “Thought you never back down from a challenge.”

“Rhodey, no,” Sam says.

“Save yourself,” from Steve.

“Should you really be messing with Natasha?” Wanda says, her lips pursed, half in worry, half in an attempt to keep herself from laughing.

“No one should mess with Natasha,” the Vision answers. But of course, Rhodey doesn't listen, being as stubborn as he is.

Rhodey rolls his eyes. “Fine. You're on.”

Steve doesn't look like he can handle this. “ _Rhodey_ ,” he says. “ _No_. _”_

“A moment of silence for Rhodey's cookie privileges,” Sam says gravely.

“Eh.” Wanda shrugs, one side of her lip turned up in a smug smile. “More for us.”

“Oh, fuck,” Rhodey says as the realization that yes, he has just fucked up, sinks in.

“Oh, yes,” Natasha says, and really, everyone is hearing an evil laugh in the back of their minds right now.

“I suppose the real question is who will get second place?” the Vision asks, and of course that's enough to start up everyone's competitiveness again.

They immediately set up the table in the living room and spend hours playing. Nobody gets up. Well, okay, Steve gets up that one time to get the pizza and Rhodey also gets up to lament his losing streak, but other than those instances, everyone just stays put and concentrates on two things: winning and talking trash.

Of course, the Vision still has a lot to learn when it comes to trash talking, but he's learning. He even has twenty or so videos of gamers queued on Youtube.

He's going to adjust to life in no time, everyone keeps telling him. And if everyone's as helpful and pushy (he's kidding) as his teammates are, he's sure of it as well.

 

 

“You are doing well, you know?”

The Vision looks up from his plate of spaghetti, forehead crinkled and his eyes questioning.

Wanda smiles. “I mean with adjusting.”

“Oh.” The Vision smiles back. “You are as well.”

Wanda bows her head, breaks their eye contact and tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. “I try. I still feel more detached than I would like.”

“I still feel less human than I'd like,” the Vision says. “Change does not happen overnight.”

“I just.” Wanda sighs. “It's been so long since I have had to slow down.”

The Vision purses his lips. He knows what to say; he's watched enough movies and read enough stories to know. The problem is that if he even attempts to parrot advice from something he's watched or read, he knows that his words would only sound empty. He hasn't actually experienced much, doesn't actually have any confidence in any advice he could possibly give.

So he does the next best thing. He distracts Wanda.

“Perhaps slow is a good thing. Then we'd have more time until the world is taken over by an evil robot again.”

Wanda snorts. “Or by aliens.”

“Or by aliens,” the Vision agrees.

 

 

The Vision finds out about Bucky Barnes a year after he joins the Avengers.

They're fighting a dude with an eyeball for a head in Disneyland, Paris, of all places, and honestly, what could someone on a motorcycle and armed with only two guns do against a mutant, a supersoldier, a spy, a synthozoid made from vibranium, and two humans with highly advanced suits?

Admittedly, not a lot, but when that dude has a whole gang of machine gun-clad bikers with him—well.

“Why is this our life?” Sam says at one point, but then he says that nine times out of ten missions.

“It’s not so bad,” Rhodey says. “He could have superhuman powers.”

“Oh my god.” Steve groans, though he doesn’t even pause in punching a biker who was about to go for Sam’s wings. “Don’t say that. _Never_ say that.”

“What our dear Captain means,” Natasha says, rolling her eyes as she fires another round of bullets at a group of bikers charging at them, “is that jinxing is banned. We never let our guard down and we never think we can handle something.”

“Because it could always get worse,” Wanda agrees gravely, her mouth set in a frown even as she assists two civilians to safety. No one has to wonder who she’s thinking about.

“And remember the last time someone jinxed a fight?” Natasha continues, as if nothing happened.

It's the best way to deal with Wanda's melancholy, they've figured. She likes to be left alone better than she likes talking about her feelings. She only needs a reminder that she's not alone, that there are people who have experienced loss and are now living through it.

"I love Thor. I really do." Steve sighs. "But he needs to shut up sometimes."

"It is how Asgardian morale is boosted, I suppose," the Vision says.

"Yeah," Sam says as he grabs two bikers from the ground and flings them to the. "Asgardian _armies_ probably."

“Not the best idea for humans,” Steve agrees.

“Even supersoldiers like you?” Rhodey asks, sounding more than a bit sceptical.

“Even supersoldiers like me,” Steve answers, and of course, this is the perfect moment for the leader dude to tackle Steve to the ground and point a gun to his head.

No one is expecting it, not even Captain America himself.

A gunshot resounds, and then—silence on Steve’s end.

“Cap,” Natasha barks over the comms. She makes quick work of the biker she’s been grappling with and immediately runs to Steve’s location. “Steve, report.”

“Steve you better not be dead because of a fucking eyeball,” Sam huffs, it’s obvious he’s also putting everything he can into kicking off the biker who’s holding him by the neck.

Natasha swears, and for a moment, everyone holds their breath, thinks that it's because she's found blood on the cement and Steve with a hole through his skull.

"Steve, when I tell you to report, you fucking _report_ ," she says, and only then does everyone heave a sigh of relief.

"What happened?" Wanda asks.

"I--someone shot him. It came from the roof of that building," Steve says, pointing at a twelve-story apartment. He shoves the body of the lead biker off him and immediately makes a run for the building. Natasha doesn't need to be asked to follow. "Vision, you're nearest. I want you up there."

"Of course, Captain," the Vision says. He puts an intangible hand through his opponent's chest and flies away as soon as the biker falls to the ground, unconscious.

"Did you notice anyone up there?" Natasha asks the team, and even with six of them, all she receives are negatives.

Of course, ask anyone in America and everyone would probably shoot a bad guy to save Captain America's life, but then there are only a few people on Earth who could avoid the keen eyes of all the Avengers.

Bucky Barnes, besides all those years of experience hugging the ground and looking out for the Howling Commandos, has spent 70 years under HYDRA as an assassin. A ghost, they call him, proven by the fact that the only time the intelligence community became sure that he existed was when he attempted to assassinate Nick Fury in broad daylight.

A few moments of sightings and another couple of names to add to his kill list. Then, the day after Natasha leaks all of SHIELD's documents to the Internet, the Winter Soldier disappears again, and no matter how hard they try to find him, no matter how many agents the new SHIELD sets on the task, they always end up with a cold trail.

Until now, that is.

They manage to corner Bucky somehow. The Vision thinks that Bucky makes it easy for them to do so, but he's quite sure that both Natasha and Steve are aware of it as well.

"He got tired," Natasha tells him later.

"Tired of what?" he asks.

Natasha shrugs. "I don't know. Running? Watching Steve get into all these fights and being stuck watching on the sidelines?"

"Ah. The Captain does get into a lot of trouble."

The corner of Natasha's mouth quirks up in a small smile.

"That he does."

 

 

Bucky Barnes’ soulmark used to be on his left wrist. He used to say that it was perfect because Steve had his mark on his right wrist, and so when they held hands, their soulmarks would touch.

Except now, Bucky had lost his arm and that would never happen again. Yet, for the first time in four years, Steve takes off the cloth covering his wrists and the Vision sees, for the first time, _James_ spelled with wide, chunky letters.

Sometimes, the Vision finds Bucky staring at the name on Steve’s wrist, as if convincing himself to believe that it’s really there. Most of the time, this is followed by Steve taking Bucky’s hand in his and squeezing, or putting an arm around Bucky’s shoulders and just pulling him close, just to remind him that he’s _here_ and he’s Bucky Barnes and no matter how much he’s changed Steve will never stop seeing him as Bucky Barnes.

A lot of times, the Vision has to look away from them just to relieve the phantom ache in his chest.

 

 

“I’m happy for Steve,” Wanda says one night. They’re in the Vision’s room, lying on his bed with all the lights on because she doesn’t want to sleep just yet. Her nightmares are getting worse again, and she just wants to put them off as long as possible.

“We’re all happy for Steve,” the Vision says.

“Yes, of course. But I just—” Wanda purses her lips. “It is not every day that someone’s soulmate comes back from the dead.”

The Vision freezes. What can he say to that?

“I’m sorry,” Wanda murmurs when the Vision takes too long to answer. She’s looked away from the Vision, and now she’s staring at the wall behind him. “I am being selfish, thinking only of myself again. Forget I said anything.”

“No,” the Vision says. “No, I understand.”

Wanda huffs out a strangled laugh. “Do you?”

“You should not feel bad for feeling the way you do,” the Vision says. He hopes he sounds as confident of his words as he wishes to be. “You’re still coping and that isn’t wrong.”

“Where did you read that from?” Wanda snaps, but then she immediately rec0ils and curls up into a ball, realizing that she’s said something wrong. “I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Yes, I suppose you shouldn’t have,” the Vision says. He sets a hand on Wanda’s arm, cautious and unsure. When she doesn’t shrug it off, he smiles. “But it’s alright. I understand.”

“When will I stop hoping he’ll just show up again one day?” Wanda asks, her voice small. She holds out a hand to take the Vision’s free one, intertwines their fingers loosely and lets them fall to the bed.

“I think—” the Vision’s jaw clenches as he tries to come up with the best way to respond. “There isn’t a minimum, I think. One day, you will wake up and realize that you’ve moved on. That day might be tomorrow or it might be ten years from now.”

“But the important thing is that the day will come,” Wanda says, nodding. She closes her eyes and breathes in, long and deep.

“Thank you,” she says, then laughs. “I have been saying that a lot recently, haven’t I? To you.”

“And the answer will always be the same,” the Vision says. He carefully takes the blanket from under Wanda’s head and lays it on her body after he unfolds it.

“And what is that?” Wanda asks, her voice now foggy with drowsiness.

The Vision closes his eyes as well.

“Anything for you.”

 

 

It's a down sort of day. Everyone gets bored just sitting around at home so Rhodey decides that it's the perfect chance to go out on a movie date.

"But I want to sleep," Sam groans.

“You never actually sleep, Wilson. You play on your phone and refresh Instagram. I know you.” Rhodey grabs him by his shirt sleeve and tugs. “Now get your ass up.”

"No. I just started a game," Natasha whines, and honestly, if Rhodey knew she'd be like this once he got to know her, he wouldn't have spent so much time trying to sound all formal and calm every time he talked to her those first few meetings they had.

“Natasha don’t make me take your phone away.”

“As if you could.”

“Alright. But you’re still going.”

“What’s in it for me?”

“A chance to see everyone falling over themselves trying to blend in with the crowd.

Natasha narrows her eyes. “I’m in.”

“I was going to learn spells?” Wanda says, and really, she should have learned to make better excuses by now.

“Wanda.” Rhodey sighs. “Not even going to dignify that with a response.”

“But we were going to eat cereal and watch FRIENDS,” Steve says, holding Bucky’s hand tightly.

“He means that we were going to cuddle on the couch and _try_ to watch FRIENDS,” Bucky says, half a smile on his face, “but you know.”

“You can do that in the theatre,” Rhodey says. “Now come on, we’re gonna miss the movie.”

 

 

The thing with soulmates is that the first time your eyes meet with theirs, your mark tingles. It’s especially useful since a lot of people have the same name, and if people got together because of a misunderstanding, then that’d be screwed up, wouldn’t it?

So despite the countless names on Rhodey’s wrists, when his eyes meets the snack bar’s cashier, he _knows_.

“Well, this is weird,” the girl behind the counter says. She has lovely brown skin and jet black hair curled around her heart-shaped face. “I knew there were a lot of people named James, but I never thought it’d be a famous one.”

Rhodey’s brain short-circuits. This was way too unexpected, something he’s stopped hoping for years ago. He’s resigned himself to a life of fleeting bonds and endless thoughts of w _hat could have been?_ So in his shock and his disbelief, he blurts out, “You’re a cashier.”

“Hey!” She purses her lips and crosses her arms, obviously disappointed. “You’re not supposed to be rude.”

“Sorry,” Rhodey says, a hand coming up instinctively so he could touch her, but he thinks better of it and takes a step back. “I didn’t mean it that way. It’s _good_ that you’re a cashier.”

“Not disappointed that I’m just some normal girl working all kinds of odd jobs just to get to order the best takeout around town?” she says, but despite her words, she sounds as if she’s only teasing now. Her mouth quirks upwards into a reluctant smile.

“No,” Rhodey answers, smiling back easily. “You know, I would invite you to watch a movie with me and my friends, but I’m pretty sure that’ll get you fired.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” she says, sighing dramatically. “Well, I’m free tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow’s good,” Rhodey says, and he’s already writing down his number on a piece of tissue. “I mean, I hope tomorrow’s good. I’ll text you if ever I’m not off punching bad guys.”

“You know that now I have your number I’m going to pester you when I see you getting your ass kicked on TV, right?” she asks, pocketing the piece of tissue carefully. “Or make you talk to my nephews to cheer them up.”

Rhodey laughs. “Always ready to serve.”

“I’m sure you are,” she says, her head tilted slightly to the left as she considers Rhodey. They stare at each other for a moment, though she’s the first to break the silence. She startles, turns away. “Now, can I get your order, James?”

Rhodey can hear the smile in her voice.

“Sure thing, Emma.”

 

 

Despite her protests, Tony gets Pepper to find Emma a decent job at a high-end clothing store. The people are less likely to pester her about how the change she gave them isn’t enough or how the popcorn _isn’t that cheesy, what kind of establishment is this?_ Also, the pay is so much better that she could probably earn more in two months with this job than in one year with her current job.

Of course, no soulmate of Rhodey’s could be so gracious as to accept this job willingly. So Emma ignores Tony’s calls and goes to her usual jobs. After a week, Tony somehow gets her boss at the snack bar to fire her but she still has her job at the mortician’s so keeps going to that instead of giving in to Tony.

On one date of theirs, Rhodey tells Emma, “You know Tony is a stubborn little shit, don’t you? I mean I know the media exaggerates sometimes, but their portrayal of Tony is almost spot on.”

“I know that,” Emma says, pursing her lips. “But I can be stubborn too.”

“If it weren’t Tony, I’d just tell you that you can do whatever you want and that it’s good you’re not letting anyone tell you what’s best for you.” Rhodey sighs. “But this _is_ Tony, and he’s only going to get worse.”

Emma hides her face behind her hands and screams. Luckily, they're in a private booth and there's no one else present.

"I'm going to regret this," she says. "I am going to feel so spoiled."

"You are," Rhodey agrees. "Next you know, you'll be asking for a truck of feather pillows."

Emma lets out a strangled noise. Rhodey isn't sure if it's supposed to be a laugh or another scream. "I love feather pillows."

"And you know, Tony's going to take this as a sign that you're kinda friends and that he can give you more gifts. JARVIS told me that he's already bought you a new coffee maker for your house," Rhodey says gravely, taking Emma's hand in his and squeezing it comfortingly.

"Why does my soulmate's bestfriend have to be Tony Stark?" Emma moans dramatically.

"But hey, at least you love the team."

Emma clucks her tongue. "That I do. When do I get to see them again anyway?"

Rhodey's smile is wide and not even the slightest bit apologetic.

"Sooner than you think."

 

 

Three hours later, they arrive in Emma's apartment, only to find five drunk people sprawled everywhere. Again.

Natasha's the winner of the night, the one who has claimed the couch. A close second is Maria who's curled up on the coffee table in front of the old CRT TV. The others aren't so lucky.

Sam is snoring between Adonis who is Emma's houseplant, and Artemis, who is Emma's cat. Wanda and Vision are sharing the bathtub and Vision's unlucky enough to be the one under the broken, dripping faucet.

~~Sam is snoring between Adonis who is Emma's houseplant, and Artemis, who is Emma's cat. Wanda and Vision are sharing the bathtub and Vision's unlucky enough to be the one under the broken, dripping faucet.~~

Emma stares long and hard at the mess they made. Five people can't have drunk that many bottles of beer. Right?

Rhodey has the audacity to stand with his hands on his hips, looking around like this is just the usual.

"Like I said, sooner than usual."

Emma sighs and heads for the bedroom.

"I'm not going to be the one cleaning this up tomorrow."

 

 

Sam has always been the funniest.

Rhodey is a close second, what with his years of experience with witty speech introductions. Wanda and the Vision have the best inside jokes but then maybe he's a bit biased so she doesn't count. Steve can be funny as well but he relies heavily on sarcasm which is something that the Vision's still struggling with. Natasha tries so hard but she is, as the internet says, the epitome of a dad when it comes to jokes.

So yes, Sam is the funniest Avenger.

He's also the only one the Vision has talked to about his--well, his feelings.

"How do you manage? In a world that values soulmates so much?" the Vision asks him one day.

"I don't," Sam replies. He gets off the treadmill and sits down. This might be a long conversation. "I still miss him every day."

"You seem so," the Vision pauses, tries and fails to find the right word for it, so he goes for the next best thing, "fine."

Sam takes a moment to reply. "I've accepted it, I guess," he says when he finally does. "As much as I can anyway. I've had my time with Riley and I'm thankful for it."

"You don't wish you had someone else?" The Vision starts fiddling some the three-pound weights, pushing them around the floor.

"No? I mean, not exactly." Sam shrugs. "I wouldn't say no to it but I'm not actively looking for someone either."

"So if you do find someone, you'd pursue them? Even though their name isn't on your wrist?"

Sam shrugs. “It’d have to happen first, won’t it?”

“But you would? More likely than you would not?” the Vision pushes.

Sam gets up and stands on the treadmill once again. Before he turns it on, he answers the Vision.

“Yes.”

 

 

Two years after the Vision joins the Avengers, SHIELD screws up.

“What happened to everything you said about the Cradle?” Wanda demands. Nick Fury is sitting in his office, trying to ignore how all his stuff are now floating in the air, vibrating in Wanda’s anger. “What happened to that bullshit?”

“We had an opportunity and we took it,” Fury says calmly. “Sit down, Miss Maximoff.”

“I refuse to do anything you tell me to until I see him,” Wanda says. He hands are on her sides, curled tightly into fists.

Fury sighs. “Figures you’d find out sooner or later. Fine. Now, sit down and put my stuff down. Some of those are antiques, you know.”

Wanda only glares harder.

 

 

Pietro Maximoff has been staying with Professor Xavier for two years now. Occasionally, they call on him for missions, but it only happens a few times a year. Mostly, he teaches the kids Russian and coaches the track team.

But of course, after one phone call from Nick Fury, he was in SHIELD HQ in no time. Now, he and Wanda are curled up in the Avengers’ couch, catching up.

“What do you mean our parents weren’t our real parents?”

“Well, I mean I met our real dad,” Pietro replies. “Kind of an asshole, but he tries. Kind of.”

“He’s a mutant?” Wanda pulls away from Pietro, though she leaves their hands tangled together. She’s staring at the floor and yet she doesn’t really see anything, her thoughts running too quickly in her head.

“Turns out Strucker didn’t give us powers after all,” Pietro says, shrugging.

“Wait.” Wanda’s gaze snaps back to her brother. “He’s an _asshole?_ ”

“Well, yeah. I mean, I thought he was cool at first but then he decided he wanted to kill the president. Also, he wove a wire rod through my friend and threw him in the ocean.” Pietro sniffs at the memory, trying not get pissed again. Just because Logan survived because of his regenerative abilities, doesn’t mean it wasn’t a fucked up thing to do. “Also, Erik keeps antagonizing the prof.”

“The prof?” Wanda asks, settling back into her previous position.

“Professor Xavier, the reason why there is a Mutant Academy. The mutant who decided that we should band together to protect everyone, including humans, even when Magneto offered him a place beside him in leading us to mutant supremacy,” Pietro explains.

Wanda nods along to his words—until something clicks. “Wait,” she says. “Wait. Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t Magneto’s real name Erik Lehnsherr?”

“Yes.”

“ _Magneto_ is our father?” Wanda doesn’t want to believe it, but then Pietro nods in reply and well—that’s it. For a moment, her heart beats quicken as worry takes over, but then she realizes that SHIELD must know about this already. She’s not going to lose her job as an Avenger just because her biological father is a supervillain. “Do I have to worry about him barging in on holiday dinners?”

“He will not go anywhere near here, I think. He hasn’t faced the Avengers enough to feel confident about sneaking in here.” Pietro wrinkles his nose. “I cannot say the same for dinners at the Academy.”

Wanda sighs. “I just hope he never decides it’s a good idea to start acting like a dad suddenly. Or that he needs us in the Brotherhood.”

“He may have offered me a position once or twice.” Wanda glares at Pietro. “What? I didn’t accept, obviously. Besides, I knew you were going to be like this.”

“Well good,” Wanda says, her mouth quirking up into a smile. “How is it going, being a teacher? You have always liked children.”

“They’re nightmares, all of them. But it is fun,” Pietro says, smiling back. He pulls his sister closer to him. “It could be better if you were with me.”

“Pietro.” Wanda sighs. “I can’t. I’m sorry. I have found my place here just as you have in your Mutant Academy.”

Pietro wraps his arms around Wanda and buries his nose in her hair. “I cannot say that I wasn’t expecting this. I hoped, but two years is a long time.”

“It is, you asshole,” Wanda agrees.

“Hey! I’m still older by you, you know,” Pietro says, shaking his head in mock disapproval.

“Twelve minutes older, yes, I know, Pietro. You have reminded me countless of times,” Wanda says, rolling her eyes.

Pietro laughs.

“Alright, alright. Now tell me what’s been going on around here.”

 

 

Wanda and Pietro are all but inseparable.

The Vision doesn’t realize how much time he spends with Wanda until she’s gone, in a way. He understands, though. It’s like Bucky all over again, with everyone going out of their way to leave the recently reunited soulmates alone.

Which is why the Vision is taken by surprise when he finds Wanda waiting for him in the kitchen for their usual pasta night on Fridays.

“Vizh. I hope you don’t mind. I already prepared carbonara while waiting for you. It’s Pietro’s favorite,” she says, turning to smile at him before turning back to the pan on the stove.

“It’s quite alright,” the Vision says, and he hopes he doesn’t sound as confused as he feels. “I thought you were spending time with your brother?”

“He’s skyping the Bartons,” Wanda explains. She stirs the sauce for another moment before she turns off the gas. “Now that his secret’s out, he can finally talk to the little menace.”

She means Nathan, of course, and an image of Pietro bringing along the kid for a fast-paced piggy back ride pops up in his mind and makes him smile.

“Clint must be so upset,” the Vision says, amused.

Wanda laughs. “He pretends to be, yes.”

She sets down two plates of carbonara on the table, one for her and another for him, but instead of sitting down immediately, she walks over to the Vision and hugs him.

“Wanda? Is everything alright?” the Vision asks, though he doesn’t hesitate to hug back.

“I’m just very happy right now,” she says, her voice muffled from the way her face is pressed against his shoulder. “He isn’t just a memory anymore, Vizh. He is not just a story I tell you.”

“He never was just that,” the Vision says.

“I know,” Wanda says. Her grip tightens. “I know.”

A beat of silence. And then, “You didn’t have to be here.”

“What?” Wanda asks. She pulls away slightly, just enough to be able to look the Vision in the eye.

“I understand that you want to be with your brothe—”

“Don’t be stupid,” Wanda says, cupping the Vision’s nape. “I haven’t forgotten you. I haven’t forgotten any of you.”

The Vision nods. “I’m sorry.”

Wanda gives him another proper hug before she pulls away and gets seated across him.

“Come on. I need to know if my carbonara still tastes good.”

 

 

Every other month, the Avengers pack up three days’ worth of clothes. Then they get on the quinjet and they go visit the Bartons.

Last month, Steve, Rhodey, and Wanda went because Sam got beat up badly during a recent mission and Vizh had bonding time with Tony. Natasha and Bucky were on a high-profile mission for SHIELD because even though their faces are on the news every time the Avengers fight some villain, they're still some of SHIELD's best.

This time, Steve, Rhodey, and Wanda stay in case the Avengers are needed while the others buy a huge inflatable bouncy castle to entice the kids into making them the favorites.

"Clint's going to pretend to hate it but really, he's going to be the first one on it," Natasha says while they're buying it, a self-satisfied smirk on her face.

"This might be the moment the team unseats Pietro," Sam says.

"Hey now, don't be too optimistic," Bucky says.

"I find that constantly having low expectations does make me feel better," the Vision agrees.

"We should convince Laura to have more babies," Sam says. "If they have a girl, she can be Sam Buchanan Barton."

Bucky lets out a strangled noise. Everyone ignores him.

"That actually doesn't sound too bad," Natasha admits. "A good name for a boy as well."

"I don't think that Vision is a good name for a child," the Vision says. "Perhaps I can suggest a name instead."

"D'you have one in mind?" Bucky asks.

The Vision takes a moment to ponder, and then, "Thomas. Perhaps Billy. And I do like Wanda's name."

Bucky hums. "Good names. Definitely not as sad of a name as Buchanan."

"Hey!" Natasha shoves Bucky's shoulder lightly. "I happen to like your name."

"Very iconic," Sam agrees.

"Quite unique," the Vision adds, then when he realizes that unique might not be so good, "and also memorable. A name fit for a remarkable individual."

 _Overkill_ , Natasha mouths at him.

The Vision sighs. This is what he gets for spending too much time with Thor.

 

 

The kids love the castle, of course. The adults set it up outside, in front of the house. The kids spend all afternoon on it, bouncing around.

Nathan's too young, of course, so Clint gets on the castle and carries him for a good hour or so. Better not to be there too long because they've all seen Nathan nauseous. It’s _not_ pretty.

Afterwards, while they’re eating dinner, Nicole, the second youngest, speaks up while everyone’s talking about how Steve’s art exhibition is doing (they’re almost done preparing for it, by the way, and one of the pieces is, of course, a painting of Bucky sitting on a window ledge and staring out at the city skyline).

“I really liked the castle,” she says as she chews on her broccoli.

“You did?” Clint asks, wiping away some sauce on her chin.

“Did you like it more than Uncle P’s piggyback ride?” Natasha asks, and suddenly the room is quiet. Nobody moves, nobody breathes. Well, at least in the case of the adults.

“Hm.” Nicole chews through the rest of her broccoli. “I—”

“I liked the castle more than I liked piggyback rides,” Lewis says, peeking from underneath his fringe.

Callum wrinkles his nose. “I’m too old for castles. Or Uncle P.”

“Okay, I’m calling Pietro,” Sam says, taking out his phone.

They have a very long conversation with a very disappointed and sad Pietro whose cries of indignation are ignored by the kids now that he’s not the favorite.

“I’m going to get my revenge,” Pietro vows. “I’m going to get tips from the students and I am going to _kick your asses._ ”

No one listens because no one is threatened. Even though the students at the Academy love Pietro, they’d rather play a trick on him first before actually helping.

The Avengers have some time to plan.

 

 

That night, the Vision sits outside with a can of cola in his hand. Clint, Laura, and Natasha have gone up to tuck the kids in. Bucky and Sam are watching a pirated horror movie in the living room that he promised to watch with Helen when she visits again next week.

So here he is, lounging on the porch, looking at the stars and listening to the cicadas. He’s alone—until he isn’t.

“Hey.”

It’s Natasha, bringing along her own can of cola.

“You’re not watching with them?” the Vision asks as she sits down beside him.

“Nah. They’re taking up too much space on the couch anyway,” Natasha says. “I don’t want to sit on the floor.”

The Vision hums in reply, takes another sip of his cola. They sit in silence for a while, until the Vision remembers a question he’s wanted to ask Natasha for a long time.

“How do you manage? Working so far away from Clint and Laura?” he asks.

Natasha sits up straighter and sets her can down on the floor beside her. “We chat. We skype. I get to visit them every other month.” She shrugs. “It’s enough.”

The Vision frowns. “Do you never feel out of place?”

Natasha purses her lips. “Sometimes. Who wouldn’t? But I chose them and they chose me. Even if I start doubting myself, they aren’t going to let me go so easily.”

“Chose?” the Vision parrots. “I was under the impression that humans didn’t _choose_ their soulmates.”

Natasha smiles, but even the Vision can see that there isn’t any real amusement behind it.

“Should’ve got some beer instead,” she says, clucking her tongue. Then, “All girls trained by the Red Room have no soulmarks. Makes it easier for us to deal with our targets in close range interactions.”

The Vision doesn’t need to ask what she means by that.

“But what about Clint and Laura?”

“Clint had his burned off when he was a kid,” Natasha says, and that’s all she’s going to say about it, it seems. “Laura—well. Let’s just say she never had a chance to know her soulmate’s name as well.”

The Vision stares openly at Natasha. “I knew there were those without marks but I never dared to imagine.”

Natasha picks up her can of soda again before she replies, “Why not?”

The Vision turns away to look up at the sky. “I didn’t want to know what end we’re all doomed to have.”

“No one is doomed to anything,” Natasha says sharply. “How can you think that when you have Wanda?”

“Wanda?” the Vision repeats, his shoulders slumping at the thought of her. “Her soulmate is Pietro.”

“Who is also her brother,” Natasha deadpans. Then, she sighs, puts a comforting hand on the Vision’s shoulder and squeezes. “Don’t waste your life feeling limited. You can do whatever you want. You can be with whoever you want.”

The Vision gives Natasha a small smile. “I’ll think about it.”

“Talk to us about this shit, you loser,” Natasha says, rolling her eyes. Her tone is lighter now, more casual.

“I will,” the Vision promises, and he can’t keep his amusement from leaking into his voice.

Natasha stands up and pats him lightly on the head. “I’m going to sleep. I’ve given enough advice for today. I’m drained.”

The Vision smiles. “Good night. I hope the kids aren’t too playful when they wake you up tomorrow.”

“I like them when they’re playful,” Natasha replies. “Better to wake up to tickles than to a gun to my head.”

 

 

The first thing the Vision does when they go home is to go to Wanda’s room and bring her a bag of food from their stopovers at Burger King and Starbucks. You’d think that you can’t park a quinjet in a tiny parking lot but Natasha found a way like she always does.

“Finally,” Wanda says the moment he comes into her room. She’s sprawled on her bed, wrapped up in her blanket and with a tiny mountain of pillows on her. “Do you know what I had to eat for three whole days?”

“What?” the Vision prompts, trying his best to hide his amusement. Rhodey went on a health kick a week ago. He’s been trying to get everyone to do it with him but honestly, the rest of the Avengers love that Chinese place three blocks away too much to ever let it go.

“Yogurt and oatmeal,” Wanda says. She doesn’t get up from bed but she does put up her arms to wave them around in the air, as if urging the Vision to hurry up and give her the food. “For _three days,_ Vizh. Just yogurt and oatmeal! I was lucky if Rhodey bought any blueberries.”

“You could’ve gone and bought yourself food,” the Vision says. He decides not to prolong her suffering and hurries to her side. She all but tears into the bag, honestly. “Or had food delivered. Or asked Steve to do it for you.”

“Steve was in on it,” Wanda says, sounding horrified. “He already has enough muscles. I told him but he wouldn’t listen.”

“Surely Natasha and Bucky will kick some sense into him now that they’re back.”

Because of course, Sam will only laugh at Rhodey and Steve.

“They should,” Wanda says, just before she bites into a cheeseburger. She sighs appreciatively. “That is so good.”

“I’m glad you’re feeling better,” the Vision says, smiling.

“Thank you,” Wanda replies, calmer now, “for thinking to bring me this.”

The Vision shrugs. “It’s no matter.”

Then they descend into a momentary silence, with Wanda eating and the Vision just watching her.

“I heard the kids liked your gift,” Wanda says after a while. She’s almost done with her burger. “Pietro called me to whine.”

“They did,” the Vision says, nodding. “And we had a great time.”

Wanda sighs. “I wish I could have been there to see it.”

The Vision shuffles closer to her, takes the French fries from the bag and hands them to Wanda. “I wish you were there as well. Nicole was the first one who said we were her favorites. You would have loved hearing that.”

“Oh, she was?” Wanda’s lips quirk up into a gleeful smile. “What a sweet child.”

“She’s lovely. They all are.”

“What else happened?” Wanda asks.

“Clint tried to bake biscuits,” the Vision says. “It did not work out well for everyone.”

“I can imagine.”

“Bucky and Sam slept in Clint and Laura’s room for three nights,” the Vision continues. “Natasha and I spent the whole time hoping they would not room with either of us instead.”

“They probably just did it to annoy Clint,” Wanda says, rolling her eyes. “Typical.”

The Vision hesitates to continue, until Wanda’s eyebrows furrow and her lips part as if to say something. “I had a talk with Natasha. About soulmarks.”

Wanda pauses, tilting her head curiously. “What about soulmarks?”

“She told me that I should not feel limited just because I don’t have one,” the Vision says. “After giving it some thought, I’m inclined to believe her.”

“Well, I think she’s right,” Wanda says, taking the Vision’s hand in hers and squeezing it comfortingly. “You have a right be close to someone the way soulmates are, just like everyone else.”

“I suppose—” the Vision cuts himself off, jaw tensing. He tries again. “I suppose what I want to say is—I wanted to ask if you would be interested in giving our relationship a label.”

“What sort of label?” Wanda asks, sounding breathless.

“I don’t know,” the Vision says, because he really doesn’t. Partners? SOs? What do people call it these days? “Something romantic, I’m hoping.”

Wanda laughs.

“Something romantic it is.”

**Author's Note:**

> hit me up on [tumblr](http://connerkent.tk/)!


End file.
